Thread marker mechanism



ocr. 29, .1946.

R. L. DASHEW THREAD MARKER MECHANISM e'sheets-sheet i Filed April 13, 1944 1nd, Maca OOM REW

RLDAS CL 29, 1946- R. L. DAsHEw THREAD MARKER MECHANISM Filed April 15, 1944 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 .Mw S

gmc/wm R. L. DJRSHELW 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 aww, om mm H.

.TW f n W T d@ Y W mw@ HN@ NL: Y f a* w w/ O@ N H JM w A oro l Hm s D f @N u L @E R Y SWS OCL 29, 1946- R.'| DAsHEw THREAD MARKER MEQHNISM Filed April `13, 1944 oef. 29, 1946.

R.1 EUSPEVV THREAD MARKER .MECHANISM .Filed April 13, 1944 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 IHEES R. L. DASHEW Oct. 29, R. L DASHW THREAD MARKER MECHANISM 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed April 13, 1944 Ri i, DASHEW www azi@ v F Patented ocr. 29, 194e THREAD 'MARKER MECHANISM Robert L. Dashew, Baltimore, Md.; Ruth '-L.

Dashew administratrix of said Robert L.

Dashew, deceased Application April 13, 1944, Serial No. 530,888

17 Claims.

This invention relates to thread-marking machines.

In the production of clothing, for instance, mens and ladies suits, by the larger tailoring establishments a plurality of plies of fabric are cut in one operation and, for instance, in the case of mens coats, it is the practice to mark the several plies while still .stacked one upon another with a length of thread extending through them, say at each point where a button is to be attached, or at the corners of the pockets, and other points at which work is to be performed on the several pieces after they have been separated. In separating the several plies the thread is cut between each two thicknesses of fabric so that each piece of fabric carries a short length of thread at each of the points mentioned. Heretofore this marking thread has been placed through the several thicknesses of fabric by what is herein termed the thread marking machine and in the use of this machine one difficulty that has been encountered is' the tendency of the thread to pull through the plies of fabric as they are removed from the machine or while they are being separated from one another. For this reason it has been the practice fork the operator to slip his hand under the stack of fabric and grasp the marking thread underneath the lowermost ply and tie a kno-t in the thread at that point to prevent its being pulled through the fabric. This manual tying of the knot in the marking thread underneath the plies of fabric while the latter are still in the marking machine or while still stacked upon one another is not only a rather tedious performance which greatly increases the time factor involved in marking each stack of plied fabric but it also presents a possibility of error and the primary object of the present invention isto provide a thread marking machine in which a loop in the marking thread will be automatically knotted at a point beneath the lowermost thickness of fabric after the thread has been fed through the yseveral plies by a depressible' needle normally positioned above the plied fabric and the two ends of the looped thread will be left free above the fabric whereby the several plies may be readily separated when desired.

In the present machine the plies of fabric are placed on the surface of a supporting base and a thread carrying needle normally positioned in a bracket above the fabric is depressed to advance the needle through the several yplies of fabric to a point below the surface on which the fabric is supported and a further object of the invention is to yprovide means operable during the retrac- 2 tion of the thread carrying needle for forming a knot in the thread at a point below the surface on which the plies are supported. f

A still further object of the invention is to provide athr-ead marking machine wherein an operating lever is depressed and raised during the advance and retraction of the thread carrying needle and the upward motion of this operating lever is utilized for actuating the knot tying devices to form the knot in the thread.

Still another object of the invention is to form theknot in the thread after the needle has been withdrawn to a point at least above the fabric supporting surface in order to eliminate the possibility of the needle being damaged or broken and, to this end, the knot forming devices are normally positioned entirely out of the path of the needle loutv are moved by the downward movement of the operating lever into thread engaging position so as to engage the thread while the needle is at its lower limit of movement and then form the knot in the thread while the needle is being retracted, so that the needle is removed entirely from the knot tying devices while the latter are in motion in the making of the knot.

In the present machine the knot is actually formed in the thread by a knotter device positioned to one side of the path of the thread carrying needle and, when the needle with the thread isat its lowermost limit of movement, the thread is engaged-by what is termed a looper which retains the thread, in the form of a loop, beneath the fabric when the needle is withdrawn and this looper together with what is termed a loop shifter are then actuated to shift-the looped portion of the thread laterally of the needle to a point where it will be engaged by the knotter and a further obj ect of the invention is to provide an actuating mechanism for the knotter, the looper and the loop shifter, wherein all three of said elements are operable through'a single rack barwhich, in turn, is adapted to be reciprocated by the rocking motion of the operating lever in advancing and retracting theA needle.

In forming the knot in thev looped thread the looped portion of the thread is engaged at one point between a pair of jaws constituting part of the knetter and a further object of the present invention is to provide a comparatively simple mechanismfor freeing or removing the knotted thread from between these knotter jaws. Preferably, thesey thread freeing means are also rendered operative by the rack bar which actuates the knotter, the looper and the loop shifter.

With these and other objects in view, vthe in- 3 vention consists in certain details of construction and combinations of parts, all as will hereinafter be more fully described and the novel features thereof particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating the preferredeinbodiment of the invention-v Figure' h ent machine with the base and a portion of the operating lever shown in section;

Fig. 2 is a detail sectional View on the line 2-` ofFig.1; f

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional viewlonigtudinally of the needle support; f i l Fig. 4 is an enlarged top'plan viewof the base with the upper wall of the latter broken away illustrating the thread looper and loop shifter in the positions they occupy at .the moment y.the needle is fully depressedor advanced;

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view on the line 5-'5 of Fig'.- 4. y l

Figl 6 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 6 6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. '7 is a View similar to Fig. 4 showing the loop in the thread as having been drawn partially past ,the knotter and the loop shifter being partially advanced for shifting the loop toward the knotter;

Figp8 is a view similar to Fig. 7 showing the looper and the loop shifter in what will be termed their normal postions and holding the thread in position for the knot toY be formed therein by the knetter; Fig. 9 is a topplan View of the base, on a smaller scale, with the top wall of the base broken away,

illustrating what are termed the normal positions of the looper, the loop shifter, the knotter, the thread releasing plate, and of the rack bar for actuating those instrumentalities.

Fig. v10 is a detail sectional view on the line I -ll of Fig. 8;

Fig. l1 is a detail top plan view of the knotter and looper illustrating an intermediate position of the knotter in the formation of the knot; Fig. 12 is a detail sectional View .taken in the plane indicated by the line I2-l2 of Fig. 11; Fig. 13 is a top plan view of a portion of the machine base illustrating the knotter in the positionvoccupied by the latter when the formation of the knot has been completed and the thread is about to be freed from the jaws of the knetter;

Fig.r14 is a similar view illustrating the knot being freed from the jaws of the knotter;

Fig. 15 is a vertical sectional View on the line l5-I5 of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 16 is a horizontal sectional view on the line Iii-i6 of Fig. 15. y In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the present instance the machine comprises a hollow base having a top wall or surface on which the fabric to be marked is placed and a bottom wall 2l, and mounted on th-e upper wall aside elevational View of the presl 30, being guided in this sliding movement by a pin 3l carried by said plunger engaging in the slot 32 in the tube 29. The needle 25 is mounted on a rod-like needle arm 33 which, at its upper end, is removably secured in a cap 34 threaded in the upper end of the plunger 23. The presser foot 2S is carried on the lower 1end cfa tubular member 35'slidably received in the lower end of tube 29. At the upper end of this tube 35 carrying the presser foot there is a collar 35 which has attached thereto a lug 37 which also travels in the'.slotf32 for the purpose of guiding the movement of the presser foot. Interposed between this .collar 35 and the lower end of tube 29 is a coil 20 is a bracket arm 22 which overhangs the base and has slidably mounted in its upper extremity a plunger 23 depressible by the operating lever 24 to advance the needle 25 carrying the thread 25 downwardly and through the needle opening 21 in theupper wall of the machine base. Plunger y lar formation and slides on a tube 25 rigidly y mounted in the bracket arm 22 by a set screw spring 38 and interposed between said collar 36 and the plug or cap 34 is another coil spring 39, so that, whenthe plunger 23 is depressed by downward movement of .the operating lever, spring 38 is compressed between collar 35 and the bottom of tube 29 and spring 35 is compressed between Ycap 30.' and collar 36 and, as a result, when the operating lever 2li is released in its lowermost position these springs return to normal position and retracty the needle from the goods and return the presser foot and the plunger tube 23 to their raised positions. v

'.I'Q'v compensate for rthis vertical reciprocatory motion of the plunger tube 23 the operating lever is pivotally attached to the tube, as at 4U, and the lever itself is formed of telescoping sections 4I, 42. the latter being mounted on pivot pin i3 journaled in extension ill of` bracket arm 22.Y As illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, a gear segment i5 is also mounted on pivot pin 43 with the teeth 46 of said segment in engagement with a gear il mounted on a stub shaft 48 journaled in the bracket arm. This shaft i8 carries a second gear 49 which meshes lwith the teeth 55 of a rack bar 5| slidably secured onthe side ofthe bracket arm by bolts 52 which extend through slots 53 in said rackbar and are threaded into sockets in the bracket arm. The rack bar 5! has a downwardly offset depending end .filal which protrudes through an opening 5a in the upper base wall and has attached to its lower end a rack bar 55 (see also Fig. 9. The teeth of this rack bar 55 engage a gear 56 on a shaft 51 mounted in the lower base wall and fast with gear 56 is a larger gear 58 so that the two gears 56, 58 rotate in unison on the shaft 5l. Rack bar 55 may be slidably secured in guides 59 mounted on the lower base wall 2l. Gear 58 meshes with the teeth of another rack 6D also slidably held on lower base wall 2i by guide brackets 5l. Thus, oscillation or rocking of the operating lever 24 imparts a reciprocatory motion 'to rack ,69 for operating the knot forming mechanism which will now be described. When'the ythread carrying needle 25 is fully depressed the eye portion thereof is received in a tubular guide 62 mounted on the lower base wall and having its upper end portion cut away, as at B3, whereby the thread 2S `may be engaged by what will be termed the thread looper. This thread looper preferably consists of a thread engaging hook 'member Gli pivotally carried on a pin 65 in the outer end of an arm 65 whose opposite end is formed` with an enlarged hub portion journaled on a shaft 'l mounted in the base. This enlarged hub portion of arm 56 is formed or provided with av gear which meshes with a gear 69 .on a shaft 10 and this gear 69 is adapted lto be'wactuated by the teeth of a rack 1l fastened onth'e upper surface of the rack 5G. For purposes which willlater appeargear is of the mutilated type in that for a portion of its periphery `it is provided with an extension Ii!) which is formed with a flat surface-adapted'to engage against the straight edge portion 1Ia of rack 1I at certain times in order to lock the looper arm-against motion. Referring to Fig. 9, the looper {if} and its arm (i6 are shown in what is their normal position at which time rack Sil `with rack 'II are at the right-hand limit (as viewed in Fig. 9) of their movement and at which time the operating lever will bein raised position. Fast on the hub portion of arm 65 is what will be termed the loop shifter 12, which is also shown in its normal position in Fig. 9. Thus, both the looperlI-and the loop shifter 12 are normally off to one side of the needle guide 62, or the path of the needle. However, when the operating lever 24 is depressed, and the needle moved downwardly rack 55, gears 55, 58, and rack 60, together with rack 1I, will be moved in the directions indicated by the arrows in Fig. 9, and when the teeth of rack 'II actuate gears 69, 68, the loop shifter 12 and the looper hook 64 will be moved to the positions shown in Fig. 4. It should be added that when the parts assume their normal positions, as shown in Fig. 9, a dog 13 pivotally mounted on a pin 'I4 engages looper hook 6d and rocks the latter on its pivot pin against the tension of a spring 65a (for a purpose which will later be described) but when rack 1I is moved to the left, as viewed in Fig. 4, dog 13 is swung on its pivot pin under the influence of a spring 14@ with the result that the looper-hook 64 is free-to turn 'on its pivot pin on arm 66 while being moved to the position shown in Fig. 4. This movement of the looper hook to the position shown in Fig. 4 is for the purpose of permitting the thread engaging-hook to catch the thread 2S in the initialfportion of the return movement of arm @ii-and looper hook 54 to their normal positions. As the looper 64 approaches the position shown in Fig. 4, it engages a stop 15 which swings or cocks it against the pressure of spring 65 sothat the instant arm 64 starts its return movement, the looper hook will have a slight independent motion of its own'to engage and catch thread 2B.

Whenthe operating lever is released and returns to its upper normal position, the looper hook engages andY retains the thread 26 and as said hook returns to its normal position it forms a loop in the thread and moves said loop into position to have a knot formed therein. The return motion of the loop-shifter 12 also causes the looped portion of the thread to beso positioned with respect to an ejector plate |09, as to permit theknotted thread to be removed from the knot forming mechanism as will later be described. The successive positions of the looped thread at these points in the cycle of opera-tion are illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8. Y

The knotter, which is preferably of the type capable of tying a bow knot, consists essentially of two relatively movable jaws 16, 11. lWhere a knotter of this type is employed one of said jaws 11 is pivoted at 18 on the other jaw 'I and is yieldingly held in closed position by a spring 'E9 and jaw 15 is mounted on a shaft 8B journaled in the base wall 2l. Mounted on the base 2I is a cam 8| which is engaged by a cam roller 62 carried on the shank portion of jaw 11, the contour of said cam being such that the jaw 11 is rockedv on its pivot as the jaws, with shaftSEl are rotated by a gear ssen Said shaft engaging the teeth sa on the adjacent end V.of rack (iii. Normally, the knotter occupies the position in which it is shown in Fig. 9 but when the operating lever is depressed 6 the knotter is revolved in a counter-clockwise direction to the position shown in Fig. 7, ready to 'start the knot forming operation. Gear 83 is also ef the mutilated type, having a flat surface.

35 adapted to engage straight. edge portions of rack bar Si! at opposite ends of teeth 84 to hold the knotter stationary when occupying the posi-l return movement of operating lever .23, is as fol.

lows: During the initial portion of the return movement oi rack bar B, the rack teeth of rack 1i, through gears 69, 68, move the looper hook 64 and lloop shifter 12 to successive positions illustrated in Figs. 7 and 3. At this time, as shown in Fig. 8, rack teeth 84 havev engaged gear 83 and started the reverse or clockwise rotation of the knotter jaws 16, 11 and as the jaws continue to so revolve the looped portion of the thread is wrapped around them (see Figs. l0 and 12) and the jaws are opened by cam roller B2 passing over the higher portion of cam 8l so that the looped thread is received between said jaws before the jaws reach the limit of their return movement to normal position. Immediately before they reach their normal position, the jaws are closed by cam roller 82 engaging a lower portion of its associated cam surface. The parts are then in the positions shown in Fig. 13, with a portion of the looped thread wrapped around the jaws of the knotter and said thread also gripped in said jaws under the tension of spring 19. At this point, it will be observed that rack teeth 84 have become disengaged from gear 83 but that the rack to, itself, has not yet fully returned to its normal position.l

It is during this nal portion of the return movement ofrack bar til that ejector plate IDU is actuated to perform the last step in the formation of the knot and to free the knotted thread from the knotter. This is accomplished as follows: Plate Iiiil has van extension lill on which is pivoted at EQ2 a pawl Silit yieldingly held by a spring Hifi against a stop pin l E35 on said extension and said pawl normally engages in a detent' I ili in rack bar 5d so that the plate is normally held in what might be termed its normal advance position as shown in Fig. 9. However, during depression of the operating lever, the rack bar 60 moves as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 9 and the ejector plate is retracted by a spring Iii'l attached to the base wall 2l and the plate extension IB I, the pawl |63 riding out of the detent |66. The retractive movement ofthefextension and plate is limited by a stop pin |08 so that the plate I0() assumes the position shown in Figs. 4, '1 and 8. With the plate located in this retracted position, the thread is then moved into position with respect to an edge thereof, as previously mentioned, by the return swinging motion of the thread shifter 12, as shown in Figs. 8, 13 and l4. Preferably, this edge portion, indicated at Idil is actually formed by a slot IIE) in the plate, said slot being formed with a right-angled extension I II in registry with the needle guide B2 so that the needle, with the thread, can pass through the plate when it, is depressed. Thus, during the nal portion of` 7 nal normal positions by reason of which, and the' fact that the looped thread is engaged against plate edge |09, the thread wrapped around the jaws is pulled off the jaws. Thus, the portion held between the jaws is pulled through the loop that had previously been wrapped around the jaws. Finally, the` plate it pulls the thread from betwen the jaws, the strength of spring 19 being such as to permit this. At the same time, the dog i3 is engaged by rack bar 1| and rocked from the position shown in Fig. 7, which it assumed when said rack bar was retracted by de pression of the operating handle, to its normal position shown in Figs. 9 and 14, with the result thatlooper Gil is rocked on its pivot to disengage the thread therefrom. Thus, the knotted thread is completely freed (see. Fig. 14) and the parts have assumed their normal positions, ready for the next cycle of operations.

Thus, a secure knot is formed in the thread beneath the fabric positioned on surface 2B and after the thread is severed between the upper face of the fabric and the needle the fabric is shifted on surface 2li and the same cycle of operation is repeated to place the thread through the fabric at the next point to be marked. After the fabric has been marked in this fashion at all the desired points it can be removed without danger of any of the threads being accidentally displaced due to each one of them having a knot tied therein. Also, where a multiplicity of plies have been marked with the thread the several plies can be separated and each marker thread severed between each two plies to leave a short section of thread in each ply without danger of the main portion of each marker thread being pulled through. It will be noted that by forming a loop in the thread and then tying a knot in the form of a bow knot in the looped portion of the thread, a rather bulky knot is provided to insure against the thread accidentally pulling through the fabric. At the same time, the two ends of the thread are left free to permit ready separation of the individual plies for subsequent tailoring operations. This is particularly advantageous in connection with loosely woven fabrics. However, it is not essential that the knotter be of the type for tying bow knots as smaller knots will suffice in the case of tight or close woven fabrics. Also, while it is preferred to have the knotting mechanism operatively connected to the main actuating lever so that the spring for actuating the knotter will be loaded by depressing said lever, as this greatly simplifies operation of the machine by reason of the fact that the fabric is penetrated by the needle and thread and the knot is tied in one stroke, so to speak of the operating lever. However, in its broadest aspect, the invention consists in providing a spring operated knotting mechanism for forming a knot in the thread after the latter has been passed through the fabric and, except as defined in the claims, the invention is not to be considered as limited to the detail of loading the knotter actuating spring by the movement of the main operating lever as said spring may readily be loaded independently of the movement of said lever.

What I claim is:

l. In a thread marking machine, a cloth supporting surface, a thread carrying needle normally lpositioned above said surface, means for depressing said needle to carry said thread to a point below said surface, means below said surface for engaging and retaining a loop of said thread below said surface as the needle returns to its'normalY position andA withdraws the ends of said loop above said surface, and means for forming a knot in said looped portion of the thread while the ends of the loop are located above said surface.

2. In a machine for marking plies of fabric with a thread knotted at one side of the fabric and extending from the opposite side of the fabric free of said knot, a thread carrying neel0 dle adapted to penetrate said plies from said opposite side to the other, means for engaging the thread at said other side of the fabric plies and forming and retaining a loop in the thread at said other side when the needle and the ends of said loop are withdrawn, and means for tying a knot in said looped portion of the thread while the ends of the loop are located at said opposite side of said plies.

3. In a machine for marking fabric with a thread knotted at one side of the fabric and extending from the opposite side. of the fabric free of said knot, a thread carrying needle adapted to penetrate said fabric from said opposite side t0 the other, a knotter mechanism for engaging and tying a, knot in the thread at said other side of the fabric while the needle with the thread is located at said opposite side of the fabric, a normally unloaded spring for actuating said knotter mechanism and means for loading said spring for rendering said knotter mechanism operative to engage said thread while the latter is positioned at said other side of the fabric and to tie a knot in said thread at said other side of the fabric while the needle with the thread is located at f said opposite side of the fabric.

4. In a machine for marking plied fabric with a thread knotted at one side of the fabric and extending from the opposite side of the fabric free of said knot, a thread carrying needle, actuating means for advancing and withdrawing said needle through and from the fabric to pass said thread through the fabric, means operable by said actuating means for engaging the thread whilethe needle is in advanced position and forming a loop in said thread when the needle with the thread is withdrawn, and means operable by said actuating means for tying a knot in the looped portion of the thread at said one side of the fabric while the withdrawn portion of the thread is located at said opposite side of the fabric.

5. In a machine for marking plied fabric with a thread, a thread carrying needle, a lever for advancing said needle and thread through the fabric, yieldable means for retracting said needle and returning said lever to its normal position, means actuated by said lever during the return motion of the latter for engaging said thread and forming a loop therein when the needle is retracted, and means operable by the lever during the return motion of the latter for forming a knot in the looped portion of said thread.

6. In a machine for marking fabric with a thread extending free at one side of the fabric and knotted at the other side, a thread carrying needle, actuating means for passing the needle and thread through the fabric from said one side to said other side and retracting said needle, and means operable by said actuating means for retaining a portion of the thread and forming a knot therein at said other side of the fabric'with the thread extending freely at said one side of the fabric.

7. In a machine for marking fabric with a thread extending free at one side of thefabric- .and knotted at the vother side thereof, a thread carrying needle, actuating means for passing the needle and `thread through the fabric from said Oneside to the other side and withdrawing the needle with the thread, and mechanism responsive to the retractive movement of the needle for forming a knot in the thread Aat said other side of the fabric remote from the withdrawn thread extending from said one side of the fabric.

8.*In a machine for marking fabric with a thread extending free at oneside of the fabric and knotted at the other side thereof, a thread carrying needle, actuatingmeans for passing the needle and thread through the fabric from said one side to the other and withdrawing said needle with the thread, mechanism for forming a knot in the-thread at said other side of the fabric remote from the withdrawn thread extending from said one side of the fabric,^and means for rendering said mechanism operative upon retraction of said needle.

9,;,In a .machine for marking fabric with a thread, a thread carrying needle, meansl for advancing the needle and thread throughk the fabric, resilient means for retracting the needle, alooper normally lpositioned to one sideof the path ofthe needle, `a loop shifter normally posi` tionedA at the same side of the path of the 'needle, ymeans operabley by .the needle advancing means forzmovin'g said looper and,l loop shifter past the path of the needle whereby said looper can engage the thread and form a loop therein and said lo-op shifter can shift said loop"lat `:rall5 of the kpath of the needle when said looper and loop shifter are returned to their normal posi- 1 tions, means for returning said looperand loop shifter to their normal positions, and means for forming a knot in the looped portion of said thread.

10. In a machine for marking fabricv with a thread, a thread carrying needle, actuating means for passing the needle and thread through the fabric from one side to the other, needle retracting means, a looper normally positioned to one side of the path of the needle at said other side of the fabric, a loop shifter positioned to one side of the path of the needle at said other side of the fabric, means operable by said needle actuating means to move said looper and loop shifter'past the path of the needle as the latter is advanced and for returning said looper and loop shifter to their normal positions as the needle is retracted to engage and form a loop in said thread and shift the looped portion of the thread laterally of the needle, and means operable by said needle actuating means for forminga knot in the looped portion of said thread between said looper and loop shifter.

ll. In a machine for marking fabric with a thread, a thread carrying needle, actuating means for passing the needle and thread through the fabric from one side to the other, needle retracting means, a looper normally positioned to one side of the path of the needle at said other side of the fabric, a loop shifter positioned to one side of the path of the needle at said other side of the fabric, means operable by said needle actuating means to move said looper and loop shifter past the path of the needle as the latter is advanced and for returning said looper and loop shifter to their normal positions as the needle is retracted to engage and form a loop in said thread and shift the looped portion of the thread laterally of the needle, means for forming a knot in the looped portion of the thread between said looper and` loop shifter, a reciprocatoryplate having a slotv therein in which said looped portion of the thread is received when shifted laterally of the needle, and means for reciprocating said plate with the thread in said slot to free the thread from said knot forming means.

l2. In a machine for marking fabric with a thread, a thread carrying needle, actuating means for passing the needle and thread through the fabric from one side to the other, needle retracting means, a looper normally positioned to one side of thepath of the needle at said other side of the fabric, a loop `shifter positioned to one side of the path -of the needle at said other side ofthe fabric, means operable by said needle actuating means to -rnove said. looper and loop -shifterpast the path of theneedle as the latter is advanced and for returning said looper and loop :shifter to their normall positions as the needle is retracted `to engage and form va loop in said thread and shift the looped portion of Vthe thread laterally ,of the needle, means operable by the needle actuating means for forming a knot in the looped portion-ofthe thread, a reciprocatory plate having a slot therein in which 'said looped threadis ,received when shifted later-` ally of the needle, and means operableby the needle actuatingmeans for reciprocating said plate with the thread in said slot to free the knotted thread from said knot forming means. Y 13. In a machine for markingfabrics with a thread extending through the fabric, a thread carrying needle, a reciprocatory needle support,

ay lever for actuating said support to advance and retract the needle through the fabric, a base on which the fabric is supported, a thread engaging looper and a thread loop shifter below said base, a shaft on which said looper and shifter are mounted, a gear on said shaft, a reciprocatory mutilated rack operable by said lever engaging said gear to rock said looper and shifter back and forth laterally of the path of said needle, a knot forming device below said base, and a second reciprocatory rack operable by said lever and operatively associated with said knotter, said looper and loop shifter being movable into thread engaging positions by said lever during advance of the needle and returnable to their normal positions by said lever during retraction of said needle to form a loop in said thread and to shift said loop into position to be engaged by said knotter, and said knotter being operable by said lever during retraction of the needle to form a knot in the looped portion of the thread, and means f or freeing the knotted loop from the knotter.

14. In a machine for marking plied fabrics with a thread extending through the several plies, a base having a fabric supporting surface, a thread carrying needle, actuating means for advancing said needle through the plies to a point below said surface and retracting said needle, a rack bar slidable in said base, connections between said bar and needle actuating means for reciprocating said bar, a second rack on said bar, a pair of shafts journaled in said base below said fabric supporting surface, gears on said shafts operable by said racks, a knotter on one of said shafts, a thread looper and a loop shifter on the other shaft, reciprocation of said rack bar by said needle actuating means during retraction of said needle rocking said looper and loop shifter to form a loop in said thread and shift said looped portion of the thread into position to be engaged 11 by said knotter and said movement of said rack bar rotating said knotter to form a knot in the looped portion of the thread, and means for removing the knotted loop from said knotter.

15. In a machine for marking plied fabrics with a thread extending through the several plies, a base having a fabric supporting surface, a thread carrying needle, actuating means for advancing said needle through the plies to a point below said surface and retracting said needle, a rack bar slidable in said base, connections between said bar and needle actuating means for reciprocating said bar, a second rack on said bar, a pair of shafts journaled in said base below said fabric supporting surface, gears on said shafts operable by said racks, a knotter on one of said shafts, a thread looper and a loop shifter on the other shaft, reciprocation of said rack bar by said needle actuating means during retraction of said needle rocking said looper and loop shifter to form a loop in said thread and shift said looped portion of the thread into position to be engaged by said knotter and said move ment of said rack bar rotating said knotter to form a knot in the looped portion of the thread, and means operable by said needle actuating means for removing the knotted loop from said knotter.

16. In a machine for marking plied fabrics with a thread extending through the several plies, a base having a fabric supporting surface, a thread carrying needle, actuating means for advancing said needle through the plies to a point below said surface and retracting said needle, a rack bar slidable in said base, connections between said bar and needle actuating means for reciprocating said bar, a second rack on said bar, a pair of shafts journaled in said base below said fabric supporting surface, gears on said shafts operable by said racks, a knotter on one of said shafts, a thread looper and a loop shifter on the other shaft, reciprocation of said rack bar by said needle actuating means during retraction of said needle rocking said looper and loop shifter to form a loop in said thread and shift said looped portion of the thread into position to be engaged by said knotter and said movement of said rack bar rotating said knotter to form a knot in the looped portion of the thread, an ejector plate slidable in said base, said plate having a recess therein in which said looped thread is received when positioned in operative relationship with respect to the knotter, and means for moving said plate away from said knotter to free the looped thread from the knotter.

17. In a machine for marking plies of fabric with a thread, a base having a fabric supporting surface, an arm extending over said surface, a thread needle support slidable in said arm, a lever for depressing said needle support to move the needle and thread through fabric on said surface, said lever comprising telescoping sections pivoted to the arm and needle support respectively, means below said surface for engaging and retaining a loop of said thread below said surface, means for forming a knot in said retained loop of thread, and connections between said lever and said loop retaining and knotting means for actuating both of said means.

ROBERT L. DASHEW. 

